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Cytochemical Evidence for Nitric Oxide/Cyclic GMP Signal Transmission in the Visual System of the Locust
Author(s) -
Bicker Gerd,
Schmachtenberg Oliver
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
european journal of neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.346
H-Index - 206
eISSN - 1460-9568
pISSN - 0953-816X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1460-9568.1997.tb01366.x
Subject(s) - nitric oxide , nitric oxide synthase , microbiology and biotechnology , locust , second messenger system , visual phototransduction , chemistry , nadph dehydrogenase , soluble guanylyl cyclase , biophysics , retina , postsynaptic potential , retrograde signaling , intracellular , biochemistry , biology , signal transduction , neuroscience , cyclic gmp , endocrinology , receptor , botany
Nitric oxide is a membrane‐permeant messenger molecule which activates soluble guanylyl cyclase. Using NADPH diaphorase staining as a marker for the enzyme nitric oxide synthase and an antiserum against cyclic GMP (cGMP), we investigated the possible sites of nitric oxide and cGMP synthesis in the retina and lamina of Schisfocerca gregaria. The photoreceptor cells did not express NADPH diaphorase staining but monopolar cells of the lamina were strongly stained. After inhibition of phosphodiesterase activity and incubation of tissue in a nitric oxide donor, the photoreceptor cells showed cGMP immunoreactivity. In contrast to the photoreceptors, the monopolar cells of the lamina were not stained. Since the presynaptic photoreceptors were cGMP‐immunoreactive and the postsynaptic targets of the monopolar cells did not express immunoreactivity, it is conceivable that nitric oxide released by monopolar cells may play a role as a retrograde messenger in visual information processing.